Couple under two-month ‘digital arrest’ in Dum Dum loses 52 lakh
Times of India | 26 February 2025
Kolkata: Cyber crooks kept a Dum Dum couple under constant video surveillance for two months and siphoned Rs 52 lakhs from them in the latest case of digital arrest.
Rathindra Nath Biswas, a retired central government officer, and his wife Chaitali, a former researcher, were manipulated by scammers posing as officers from the CBI and officials of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The fraudsters threatened them with arrest and presented a forged Supreme Court notice featuring a photograph of the former Chief Justice of India. The fake order warned that their bank accounts would be blocked and their property seized if they failed to pay up.
The couple was first contacted in early Dec by someone claiming to be from the Telecom Authority of India. The caller informed them that they were "digitally arrested" in connection with a financial fraud case that was being investigated by the CBI.
"Even when using the washroom, we had to stay under video surveillance. We were forbidden from stepping outside or allowing visitors, as the fraudsters threatened us with dire consequences," Chaitali said.
"Whenever we needed to go out, we had to seek permission from the fraudsters. Under constant psychological pressure, we eventually transferred Rs 52 lakh in six installments, liquidating our savings, mutual funds, and fixed deposits," she added.
The scammers fabricated a Supreme Court case, falsely claiming that during a CBI investigation ordered by former Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, the agency raided businessman Naresh Goyal's house and found 247 ID cards — one allegedly belonging to the Biswas couple. They also claimed to possess a voice recording that would be used as evidence against them.
To intimidate them, the fraudsters sent a fake Supreme Court order demanding Rs 52 lakh, instructing them to deposit the money into a "suspense account" linked to the court. The couple was also coerced into sending photos of their Aadhaar cards online.
Once the payments were made, the fraudsters disappeared, severing all contact.
Despite their trauma, the couple was initially hesitant to approach the police. A family friend, who encouraged them to report the crime, alleged that Dum Dum police initially ignored the case. "I accompanied them to the police station at least five times since Feb 19, but officers only accepted a written complaint. The FIR was finally registered on Feb 23," the friend said.
To aid the investigation, Chaitali sketched a portrait of one of the fraudsters seen on the video call and handed it to the police. According to the Barrackpore Detective Wing Cyber Cell, a case was initiated after receiving the couple's complaint on Sunday.
An officer from the Barrackpore Commissionerate said, "As soon as we received the complaint, we forwarded it to the Cyber Crime Cell. Legal proceedings are underway to track the fraudsters and recover the money. Police have urged citizens to verify suspicious calls and report such incidents immediately.
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